Chapter 119
Lloyd opened his eyes.
And he blinked without realizing it.
The scenery around him was unfamiliar.
It wasn’t the Baron’s residence.
When he opened the window, a shabby village could be seen below.
Turning east, he could see a majestic mountain range.
It was different from the Baron’s bedroom he had grown used to over the past year and a half.
‘The royal tombs?’
Blue sky and green meadows.
Mounds dozens of meters tall dotted the landscape.
It looked like the royal tombs in Gyeongju that lingered in his memory.
“Ha…”
What was this situation?
Why had his eye level lowered?
It was as if he’d returned to the memories of when he was twelve.
‘…Am I dreaming?’
Thinking so, he looked at his hands.
They were small.
Soft and tender.
There were no calluses from digging.
No scars on the back of his hand from army work.
They weren’t there yet.
His palms and the back of his hands, idly moving in a daze, were unmistakably those of a young boy.
‘No matter how I look at this…’
It was strange.
He had clearly returned to the Frontera Estate late last night.
And collapsed into sleep from sheer exhaustion.
He’d fallen asleep with the resolve to wake up today and settle all remaining debt at the Baron’s estate.
‘So why, all of a sudden—’
Just as he swallowed his bewilderment and thought that—
“Suho-ya. You’ve waited long, huh?”
A familiar voice came from behind.
A somewhat blunt and gruff voice. The dialect his mother always nagged him to fix, but he never could.
Yet that bluntness sometimes carried warmth.
“…Father?”
He turned around in shock.
There stood a silhouette with the sun at his back.
Then he crouched down to match his eye level and smiled gently.
“Well now. What’s going on here? You see your dad and suddenly call him ‘Father’?”
“Uh, well…”
“Looks like my son’s all grown up now. Here, take this.”
“…”
He stared blankly at the object his father handed him.
A small bottle of gas relief drink.
A sticker gum with a cartoon character on it.
‘Wait… is this really that day?’
Suddenly, it came to him.
His father was always busy.
So he didn’t have many memories with him.
They’d almost never gone on trips together.
The only memory he had was this moment.
Twelve years old, early autumn.
A trip to Gyeongju with just his father.
The weather had been nice, just like today.
Blue skies, green tombs, white clouds.
They had walked a lot, holding hands.
No—before that, he had forgotten to take motion sickness pills and had gotten terribly nauseous.
“What’s wrong? You feeling sick? Want me to open it for you?”
“…”
“Here, drink this and let out a burp. That’ll do it.”
“…”
He received the gas relief drink without thinking.
Something hot welled up from his chest.
He chugged the drink down, as if to force it back down.
“Here, this too.”
“…”
Before he knew it, his father had unwrapped the gum.
A sticker gum, just like the ones he loved as a kid.
“…”
Why was he dreaming something like this?
Unable to believe it, he looked at his father’s face again.
His father looked at him with concern.
“You okay? Still feel nauseous?”
“Ah, no. It’s just…”
He didn’t know what to say.
A flood of words came to mind, but his chest was too tight to speak.
“I’m okay.”
He barely managed to say it.
His father smiled.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Not knowing what else to say, he reached out.
And held his father’s large hand.
They walked.
Just like that day when he was twelve.
“…”
He began to understand.
It was a dream.
It felt vivid, but it was definitely a dream.
But in this dream—how long would it last?
How long could he see his father’s face again?
As he was thinking that while walking—
“But Suho.”
His father called him.
His stomach was fine now.
Was he still worried?
He looked up and saw his father’s trembling gaze.
Eyes glistening with tears.
And with a sigh-laced voice, he said—
“You’ve really been through so much, haven’t you?”
“…What?”
That wasn’t part of his memory.
That conversation didn’t happen on that day.
As he started to zone out, his father’s nose turned red.
“I’m sorry. You had to suffer so much because of a lacking, pathetic father like me.”
“…”
“That’s why I’m so proud of you.”
“It’s just…”
“You’ve done well, my son.”
Pat, pat.
“…”
He opened his eyes.
What he saw was a familiar room.
The Baron’s bedroom he had grown used to over the past year and a half.
“Haa…”
It was morning.
It had been a dream.
He got up.
Called for a maid as usual.
Washed his face with the basin of water the maid brought.
Dressed himself and had breakfast.
Woke up Javier and started the day’s planned tasks.
Called the administrator and gave instructions.
“Have Mr. Shylock and Mr. Mitrov returned?”
“Ah, yes, Lord Lloyd. I heard they returned two days ago.”
“Those two sure have a good nose for danger.”
The two loan sharks who had fled the estate at the first sign of the monster attacks.
A wry smile crept onto his face at the news of their return.
“That’s great. Call them in.”
“Yes, sir. Any message you’d like me to relay?”
“No need for that. Just tell them—oh, actually.”
Lloyd smiled.
“Tell them this: ‘It’s time to tie up an old relationship on a happy note.’ That sounds just right.”
“Understood. I’ll relay it exactly.”
“Thanks. I’m counting on you.”
The administrator departed.
He waited.
Shylock and Mitrov.
It took them half a day to arrive after receiving word.
To be honest, he felt conflicted.
‘Is it because today’s the day I clear all my debts?’
Or maybe it was because of the dream he had at dawn.
He couldn’t tell.
His feelings and emotions were too tangled to sort out.
Eventually, he welcomed the two loan sharks.
“Hahaha. Long time no see?”
“Oh my, our young master still looks as dashing as ever.”
Shylock and Mitrov entered with gift wine, cracking jokes.
He used to find their faces repulsive.
They were faces that felt like they’d chase him to hell.
But not anymore.
Maybe he’d grown fond of them, even if begrudgingly.
Suppressing the bitter smile, he spoke.
“It’s good to see you. I hope you’ve both been well.”
“Haha, barely made it out alive.”
“That locust swarm, oh man…”
“I’m glad to hear you’re safe. And that you’ve come to collect your remaining dues today.”
Their laughter froze.
Still smiling, their faces stiffened.
They tilted their heads.
As if they couldn’t believe it.
Their expressions turned incredulous.
“What do you mean, collect the remaining dues? What’s that about?”
“You don’t mean…”
“Yes, exactly. It’s time to tie up an old relationship on a happy note. I trust my message was delivered?”
“…”
The two men fell silent.
Lloyd stood and smiled.
“First, let’s verify the amount. This way, please.”
Today, at last, he would pay off the last of his debt.
At that thought, his knees trembled slightly.
♣
The final debt settlement process was simple.
So simple it felt anticlimactic.
He handed over the check received from Her Majesty the Queen in the capital.
They verified the amount and her signature.
Checked the contract.
Signed and stamped the confirmation document that all debts were cleared.
That was it.
A formal handshake to express gratitude.
Sending the two loan sharks on their way.
That was the whole process.
“…”
So this is what it feels like to pay off a mountain of debt.
There’s no sense of reality.
Only a strange emptiness.
A sense of disbelief.
Even some hollowness.
“Thought it’d feel a little different.”
He had imagined what it would feel like many times.
Not just since coming to the Baron’s estate.
Even back when he was scraping by in a cheap study room, he used to daydream—
What if he had paid off his debts in the past?
What kind of life would he have now?
Even before that, before his parents passed away.
He used to imagine that maybe if they won the lottery and paid everything off, they could go on a trip together.
‘But none of those fantasies included this emptiness.’
Now that the moment had arrived—
The moment he thought he would bask in pure joy—
It felt underwhelming. A hollow laugh escaped him.
The only thing that made it feel real—
Was the joyful response from those around him.
“H-Hahaha! This is… this is…!”
He had never seen the Baron so happy.
The man was too choked up to speak.
He kept swallowing his words.
In the end, he just pulled Lloyd into a hug.
Patted his back for a long time.
And the Baroness, her eyes glistening, looked on.
As if saying: Well done. I’m proud of you.
“…”
Why did it remind him of the look in his father’s eyes from that dream?
Others came, too.
To offer praise for clearing the family’s enormous debt.
“Lord Lloyd, truly, you’ve done something remarkable. Not just anyone could accomplish this.”
“I was once mistaken about you, Lord Lloyd. I truly respect you.”
The administrator and Sir Bayern’s sincerity was evident.
And even the servants and maids he passed in the halls.
The farmers in the fields he walked by.
All offered words of admiration.
‘News sure travels fast.’
He’d cleared the debt just past noon.
Only a few hours had passed since the loan sharks left.
The sun hadn’t even begun to set, yet the entire estate was abuzz.
They congratulated him.
Said they were proud of him.
He couldn’t recall a day where he’d received this much praise.
Maybe that’s why a new Praise was created.
Ding-dong.
[Through years of wit, cleverness, and diligence, you have successfully paid off your family’s massive debt.]
[Everyone who hears this news is filled with awe and admiration.]
[A new Praise has been created: .]
[Eldest Son of Frontera]
[Praise Rank: Local Folklore]
Sometimes in life, people go into debt.
Sometimes, they lean on others.
But you see—
When life’s misfortunes come crashing down—
And the weight of debt is too much to bear—
Most people despair.
They curse their fate and give up.
And that’s not a bad thing.
It’s only natural.
It’s human.
That’s why this person is remarkable.
No one believed in him.
Everyone thought it was impossible.
Yet he didn’t despair. He didn’t give up.
So, my child—
If you ever feel crushed by the weight of life—
Remember what this person accomplished.
Possibility is open to everyone.
[Praise Effect: You gain the highest level of financial credibility in the Cremona Region. You will always receive investment funds at the lowest interest rates and best conditions. You will never be subjected to debt collection for borrowed funds.]
[Praise Duration: Lifetime]
[Monthly CP Provided by Praise: 2]
[Current CP: 2]
An impressive bonus.
And it lasted a lifetime.
Enough to make anyone cheer.
But not today.
Maybe it was this restless mood.
Lloyd glanced over the message window and closed it.
Instead, he turned to the person walking beside him.
“Hey.”
“Yes, Lord Lloyd?”
“What was your father like?”
“…”
Lloyd could feel Javier’s eyes on him.
He smiled without meaning to.
“Just curious. If it’s too personal or rude, I apologize.”
“…Did you eat something odd today?”
“No.”
“Then why are you apologizing so easily?”
“Just… some days are like that.”
Yes.
Some days are like that.
Days when he felt more like Kim Suho than Lloyd Frontera. Days when he could finally take off his mask and take a deep breath.
“…He was a rough man.”
Javier’s voice lightly tapped his ears.
Soft, like a private thought.
“I was too young to remember clearly. It’s like looking through layers of glass—hazy. But the one thing I do remember is how rough my father was.”
“Why do you remember it that way?”
“Because every night, right before I fell asleep, he would pat my back once or twice. That was it.”
Javier smiled under the sunset.
“He was a busy man. I hardly saw him during the day. I waited, then eventually pretended to sleep. Until midnight.”
“Midnight? That’s when he came home?”
“Yes.”
Where was he looking now?
At the deepening sunset?
Or his distant memories?
“He worked late every day. Only came home at midnight. Then he would pat my back with those dirt-covered hands, thinking I was asleep. That’s all. The calluses on his big hands, the awkward way he patted me… things like that.”
“I see. I get it.”
Maybe the two of them were quite similar.
They didn’t say another word after that.
They just walked in step.
Sometimes slowly, sometimes side by side.
Eventually, they returned to the mansion.
Ate dinner as usual, put Javier to bed, and returned to his room.
“Hoo.”
It was a normal day—but also different somehow.
So much so, he still didn’t quite know how he felt.
‘It’s ridiculous, really.’
He swallowed a laugh and lay down.
Stared blankly at the dark ceiling.
Faded memories bloomed beyond the blackness.
Like pages of an old, yellowed diary.
His childhood days.
His parents’ faces.
The struggles their family faced.
The crushing debt they couldn’t bear.
The sight of his parents’ shoulders sagging under that weight.
‘Seriously… ridiculous.’
He laughed again.
But his nose began to sting.
He hoped he’d dream again tonight.
And if he met his father, he wanted to say this:
‘I think I managed to do it, at least here.’
And so, he cried.
For the first time since coming to this world.
(T/N: Who’s cutting onions!!!!!!????)